Socket-piece for electric lamps.



J, C. STEARNS.

SOCKET PIECE FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1916,

1,218,485. Patented Mar. 6,1917.

.zkveniov JASON C. STEARNS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOCKET-PIECE FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed June 19, 1916. Serial No. 104,496.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, JAsoN C. STEARNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Socket-Piece for Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a socket piece in which an electric lamp is to be mounted, and while capable of general use it is particularly adapted for use in mounting a lamp in a reflector for a motor vehicle, and especially a lamp that is axially adjustable.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide means whereby these socket pieces can be made of flat sheet stock, thus doing away with the employment of the relatively expensive tubing now universally used for this purpose; to provide means whereby the lug by which the socket piece is connected with the back casing of the reflector can be.

used for securing the edges of the flat stock together to hold it in tubular form; to provide improvements in the lug and in the way of holding the edges and tube together; to provide an improved way of mounting the parts inside the lamp, and other features of the lamp connections. Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter,

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a preferred embodiment of this invention, showing its relation to the reflector casing when used therewith; I

Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1; i

3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the socket showing the construction of the interior.- elements in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modification, and

Fig. 7 is a view of the blank before it is rolled up into tubular form.

Lamps for head lights and other lights of motor vehicles have been made heretofore with a socket piece formed of tubing.

This is a relatively expensive way to make them and necessitates the punching and cutting of a tubular article which is comparatlvely awkward and expensive.

By my invention the tube is made from flat sheet metal which is cheaper in the beginning, and furthermore when it is cut out it can be stamped out by a'simple stampng operation with all the, slots and openmgs formed once for all, and then bent up into tubular form. One of the features of this invention consists in the way in which the edges of the tube are connected as has been stated so that it forms a permanent tube with the advantage of forming it from flat sheet metal. With this object in view the pieceof flat metal is stamped or cut out into a general rectangular form, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to provide a socket piece'lO when rolled up into cylindrical shape.

As originally stamped out the blank is provided with slots 11 and also preferably, with three tongued projections 12 providing inwardly extending tongues arranged all at equal distances from one end of the socket piece. As originally made also the blank is provided with two projections 13 arranged opposite each other at its opposite edges and the edges of the blank at this point are offset, as shown at 14 and 15. The distance of this offset is' the thickness of one of the lugs 13. One edge of the blank is also provided witha dove-tailed slot as 16 and the other with a similar dove-tailed tongue as 17.

It will be understood'that the projections 13 are designed, as will appear, for-the purpose of securing the two'edges of the blank together, and the same is the purpose of the slot and tongue 16 and 17 Consequently hold the edges of the sheet metal member at that point. For the purpose of holding the edges together at another point,"a separate lug 19 is provided having a passage through it. The

projections 13 which extend radially from the socket piece just fit the central opening in one of the two flanges of this lug 19 and are forced through it. They are then bent over at their outer ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and thus securely-hold this lug member in position. This lug 19 is provided with an opening for a. screw 20 for holding the socket to the back casing 21 of the lamp. In this way it will be seen that the edges of the socket piece are held by the lug itself, thus eliminating one element, or in other words, making one element perform the functions of two.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, a similar arrangement is provided in which the edges of the socket piece 10 are provided with projecting members 13 that are spaced apart instead of comingtogether, so that the lug 19 can be forced in between them. Then the ends of these projections 13 are bent over inwardly into the opening in the lug, thus securing the parts together in a similar way.

In addition to the above mentioned features, by reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that instead of anchoring a central hard rubber insulating member in the casing, this member 22 is placed in the casing in a floating condition and not anchored in place. In the form shown it is provided with a central conducting tube 23 which is headed on the end toward the lamp 24 and extends through the insulating cylinder 22 to the other side. On this side, it is provided with a passage i centrally located therein in which is ar- 'the fastening means.

ranged a spring 25 extending into a plunger 26 which projects from its end. This plunger is adapted to engage the base piece 27 at the other end of the socket piece. .This member 27 is adapted to enter the cylindrical socket piece and to bear agalnst a.

movable ring 28 therein, which is pressed back normally by a spring 29. This ring has a pair of opposite rojections 30'moving in slots 31 in the soc ct so as to guide it. When the base piece 27 is forced in, it compresses the spring 29 and engages against the end of the plunger 26. Thus it moves the insulating member 22 up against the lugs 12 and holds it there. In fact, this is its normal position. When the lamp is inserted it presses on the insulating member 22 and forces it back slightly so as to compress the spring 25, and thus the plunger 26 is really forced in and its spring compressed by the insertion of the lamp at the other end of the socket piece. This affords a double spring holding means which is effective in practice to prevent chattering of the parts and cooperates with the flat sheet metal construction of the socket piece in that its excessive chattering will not tend to loosen This is effectively guarded against in this way, but as a matter 1,21s,asa

of fact, I have. found in practice that that fastening device alone is suflicient in any event.

Although I have illustrated and described only two forms of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a socket piece for an electric lamp comprising a piece of sheet metal reduced to a cylindrical form and having its edges brought together so as to butt against each other, said edges being provided with parallel projecting members integral therewith, and a lug for supporting the socket piece having a perforation fitting said projections to positively hold them together and keep the socket piece in its cylindrical form.

2. As an article of manufacture, a socket piece having' means for holding a base piece at one end, and an electric lamp at the other, formed of a piece of sheet metal having its edges brought together so as to butt against each other, said edges being provided with parallel projections engaging each other and extending outwardly from the surface of the socket piece, and a lug fitting over said projections and unyieldingly holding them to gether so as to permanently hold the socket piece in form. I

3. As an article of manufacture, a socket piece having yielding means for holding a base piece at one end and an electric lamp at the other, formed of a piece of sheet metal having its edges brought together and reduced to cylindrical form, said edges being provided with projecting means for holding them together, and. :1. lug for securing the socket piece to the lamp casing cooperating with said projecting means forpermanently holding the edges.

4. As an article of manufacture, a socket piece of the class described having its two edges provided with substantially radial projections, a lug for use in holding the socket piece to a lamp casing, said lug having a perforation therethrough receiving and-fitting said projections, whereby said lug and projections permanently secure the edges of the socket piece together.

5. As an article of manufacture, a socket piece for holding a base piece at one end and an electric lamp at the other, a longitudinally movable insulating member of cylindrical form inside said socket piece, said insulating member having a spring-pressed plunger for receiving the base piece, whereby when the lamp is introduced into the casing it will force the insulating member back.

6. As an article of manufacture, a socket 139 sulating member back.

piece for holding a base piece at one end and an electric lamp at the other, a freely movableinsulating member of cylindrical form inside said socket piece, a spring for moving said insulating member in one direction, integral projections in the socket piece for limiting its motion in that direction, said insulating member having a spring-pressed plunger on the other side for receiving the base piece, whereby when the lamp is introduced into the casing it will force the in- As an article of manufacture, socket piece a movable insulating member of cylindrical form inside said socket piece, a

I spring for moving said insulating member 1n one direction longitudinally, integral projections in the socket piece for limiting its motion. in that direction, said insulating member having a spring-pressed plunger onthe otherside for receivingthe base piece,

8. As an article of manufacture, a socket piece of-the class described having a pluralwill force the insulating mem-v ity of inwardly extending integral lugs at '1' equal distances from one end, a movable insulating member of cylindrical form in the casing, a spring in the casing, adapted to yieldingly press the insulating member back against said lugs, and'a spring-pressed plun ger extending from said insulating member inside said spring for engaging said base plece, whereby when the lamp 1s introduced 'JASON C. STEARNS.

'35 from the other side the insulating member 

